Eilidh Muir joined the team nine years ago on our Graduate Programme. Now a Whisky Blender, Eilidh works with our Master Blenders to create our iconic whiskies. 

Eilidh began her career with us in 2015 as an Engineering and Technical Graduate with various rotations across the business. This included Project Engineering, Spirit Supply, Finance and Maturation. It was during her placement where Eilidh discovered the variety of roles within the industry. 

“As my degree progressed, I was quite keen to get involved in the whisky and spirits industry, but it was my graduate programme that led me to where I am today. You don’t really know all the different roles that are available until you’re in the industry.” 

After her final rotation, Eilidh joined our team in Girvan as a Spirits Supply Planner. She then joined the Whisky Stocks team in January 2021, eventually becoming a Whisky Blender.

An evolving role 

In the beginning, Eilidh’s role was mainly focused on supporting our Master Blenders, Brian Kinsman and Kelsey McKechnie, as part of our Spirit Supply team.  

“I joined the team, and a key part of my role was making sure what was being created in the sample room was translated into clear instructions to our distillery team. 

“Alongside my role, I spent time with Brian and Kelsey in the sampling room, developing my sensory skills and seeing if that was the right fit for me. 

“I really enjoyed my time in this part of the Company. So, I made the decision to focus my time here and worked slowly over the years to hone my skills, eventually moving into the role I have today.” 

Mastering the blends 

Now, Eilidh works with our Master Blenders to develop our iconic whiskies such as Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Monkey Shoulder alongside new make spirits. 

“A lot of my time is still spent learning from our Master Blenders. The skills really come with experience, and it doesn’t happen overnight. You need the patience and willingness to learn, but also someone who wants to teach you. I’m so fortunate to have that. 

“I’m also involved with the process of creating new spirits — watching Brian go through the process, whilst working with him and sharing my own ideas. It’s a collaborative process and I feel privileged to be part of it. 

“I really enjoy the variety of working across all our brands, and it’s especially exciting now we’ve got The Famous Grouse and Naked Malt as part of our portfolio. It’s a nice opportunity, learning how to blend the products, and make sure there’s a smooth transition of these brands into our portfolio.” 

Eilidh Muir and Kelsey McKechnie, Balvenie Malt Master, The Balvenie

Leaving her legacy 

Part of Eilidh’s role is preparing for the blenders of the future, as she explains, “We’re lucky to do what we do today because of the blenders and all the teams that came before us, and we’re reaping the benefits. I’d like to make sure we pay that forward. 

“I think it’s incredible that there’s things we’ll do today that we won’t necessarily see released or used in our careers. There could be a whisky I’ve worked on that’s not released for another 50 years, and to me that is quite special.”